“Notice violence”: makeovers at the Vilnius Crisis Centre

Home should be a safe place where one feels content and at ease, yet it is not the case for many who suffer from domestic abuse. This is where a crisis centre plays a vital role, providing a safe shelter and support hub for those need it. 

See what changes we have implemented at the Vilnius City Crisis Centre. Here, we've furnished the entire third floor with a leisure area, a shared kitchen and seven living rooms.

Before and after

Before the makeover, the rooms lacked cosiness and, even more so, space for the belongings of future residents. We wanted to provide the families with a feeling of a cozy and comforting home, so we chose calm colours to create a sense of ease and integrated them with the functionality of Scandinavian design. By combining playful textiles and decorations with neutral-coloured furniture, we sought to make the space more welcoming for children and teenagers.

Living rooms

When designing the living rooms, interior designers focused on functionality, ergonomics and comfort. Each room was furnished with essential furniture:

• A desk where one can sit comfortably to eat, study or work.
• Spacious wardrobes for storing clothes and hiding the fridge.
• Open shelves and boxes for personal belongings.
• A day-bed that serves for a sofa during the day and doubles as a bed at night.
• A couple of comfy armchairs for relaxing, which can also turn into beds if needed.
• Curtains, bright cushions and rugs for a cosier feel.

“We chose durable and practical solutions that are easy to adjust. Separate wardrobes and extendable beds make the co-living space adaptable to the ever-changing needs and number of temporary residents.”

Aistė Lėkytė and Ūla Malinauskaitė-Žebrauskė
IKEA interior designers

Tailored to the needs of kids

We put a desk in each room so that the children have a place to study and do their homework. Above the desks, we added pegboards to hold stationery, cute little trinkets and other items.

“KALLAX shelving units have a variety of uses in the rooms: the low shelf with drawers by the bed serves as a bedside table, the taller one by the door doubles as a hallway closet for shoes or bags, while in the children's corner they function as toy storage.”

Ūla Malinauskaitė-Žebrauskė
IKEA interior designer

A shared kitchen

Although the old kitchen of the crisis centre had all the necessary appliances, the furniture was arranged rather haphazardly. There was enough space to cook, but no place to sit and eat.

“The kitchen windows overlook the leisure area, so we replicated the same colours and styles in both spaces. To give residents a place to sit, we placed a large dining table in the centre of the kitchen and added bar stools next to the window facing the courtyard.”

Aistė Lėkytė
IKEA interior designer

The interior designers aimed for a cosy, playful and tidy kitchen that could be comfortably used by seven families.

• All kitchen cabinets in a common area come with closed doors, which makes it easier to keep things tidy.
• Lockers are provided for storing personal utensils and food products.
• A large dining table serves as a great place for conversations and shared activities.

Our most loyal volunteers

Meet the team of IKEA co-workers who volunteered in bringing this meaningful project to life. Together, we assembled furniture, ironed curtains, decorated rooms and did everything we could to turn the crisis centre into a cosy home.

We at IKEA stand for equality and fair treatment of people in all circumstances and situations, including the life at home. This is why we decided to become the voice in raising awareness and fighting against the domestic violence as one of the most pressing issues at homes in Baltics.